This Egg Bites recipe is made with eggs, spinach, roasted bell pepper and cottage cheese baked in muffin cups for a tasty, healthy, vegetarian, grab-and-go breakfast. Includes a Video!
We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.~ Pema Chodron
Here’s a simple recipe for egg bites that can be made ahead, perfect for busy mornings and breakfast on the go. These are adapted from Once Upon a Chef, where my friend Jenn was able to perfectly recreate the Starbucks egg bites, using steam in the oven to create a silky custardy texture.
We’ve done the same here and kept them vegetarian with roasted red pepper and fresh basil from the garden. But really, you can add almost anything! Please scroll down to see some of my favorite variations!
Why You’ll Love This Egg Bites Recipe
- They are SO simple! With 5 ingredients, in addition to salt and pepper, these easy egg bites can be made in just over 30 minutes.
- Great for busy mornings. Prep this breakfast recipe in advance on the weekend and enjoy them throughout the week for a quick and satisfying breakfast on busy weekday mornings.
- Incredibly versatile. Once you have the eggy base, you can add any other ingredients you wish! Use up any extra vegetables or herbs you have on hand.
- Freezer friendly. These egg bites can be frozen for up to 3 months! Pull out all your muffin pans and make a large batch to freeze and have on hand whenever you’re short on time.
- Deliciously cheesy and custardy. Cottage cheese and shredded cheese combine with the eggs to create a rich, cheesy texture and flavor. After baking, these bites will have a silky, custardy top that is simply divine.
Egg Bite Recipe Ingredients
- Extra Large eggs: The main ingredient in the egg bites, provides the base and structure.
- Cottage cheese: We use whole milk cottage cheese, 4% fat for the best texture. This ingredient is essential for adding creaminess to the egg bites, resulting in a silky smooth texture.
- Shredded cheese: Gruyere, mozzarella, pepper jack, cheddar, or a blend of cheese works great! The cheese contributes to the richness and flavor of the egg bites.
- Salt and pepper: Salt brings out the flavors in these breakfast bites, while pepper adds a nice kick.
- Roasted peppers: Adds a sweet and smoky flavor to the egg bites. You can use store-bought roasted peppers or roast your own.
- Fresh basil leaves: Adds freshness and a pleasant herbaceous note to the egg bites.
- Optional additions: Cherry tomatoes are a juicy and sweet addition, or consider sprinkling parmesan cheese over top for even more of a cheesy flavor.
These ingredients work together to create a delicious and satisfying base for your quick and easy egg bites. Feel free to customize the recipe and add any other additional ingredients or variations that you desire!
How to Make Egg Bites
1. Preheat oven to 300F. Place a pan of water 1/4 inch deep, on the lower rack to create steam. (see notes) Grease a standard, non-stick muffin tin with olive oil. If not using non-stick, use muffin liners.
2. Place the eggs, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until silky smooth.
3. Pour and divide the batter into the greased muffin tins to about 3/4 full. You can also use silicone egg molds.
4. Add the roasted pepper and basil to the top, stirring some down a bit. Top with a cherry tomato and sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese.
5. Place the egg bites on the middle rack (over the pan with water) and bake until the egg bites are set and golden, 20-30 minutes. (Ours were ready at 24 minutes.)Be doubly sure the center ones are set– they usually take 1-2 minutes longer than the ones on the edges.
6. Let cool 5- 10 minutes; loosen the edges with a knife, and carefully scoop them out with a spoon. If you are using a silicone mold, they should easily pop right out! They should come out tasting velvety and custardy.
These will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator or can be frozen, thawed, and reheated. Egg bites can be reheated in a microwave for roughly 60 seconds or warmed in a toaster oven.
Variations of Egg Bites With Cottage Cheese
Here are some possible variations to this recipe, taking flavor pairings into consideration.
You can also explore your own kitchen for any extra veggies you have on hand and create your own take on this recipe! Have extra roasted vegetables, like broccoli? Chop them into smaller pieces, and they would make a lovely addition. If you’re craving meat in these egg bites, add crispy bacon, diced ham, smoked salmon, chorizo, or sausage.
- Sautéed mushrooms, thyme, gruyere
- Caramelized onion or shallots, smoked mozzarella cheese and sage
- Smoked salmon and fresh dill
- Spinach, sun-dried tomato and goat cheese or feta cheese
- Bacon crumbles, jalapeno and cheddar cheese
- Canned green chilies, cilantro (or green onions) and pepper jack or Monterey jack cheese
Egg Bites Recipe Tips
- 1. Use a non-stick muffin tin. These egg bites live to stick to the pan, so using a good quality nonstick muffin pan is the secret to getting them to release.
- Use whole milk cottage cheese- these make them fluffy and light with enough fat to bind them together. 2% will not work here!
- Grease muffin tin first, then add some egg batter first, then add the filling then top with more batter. This will help prevent the fillling from sinking to the bottom.
- When baking, be doubly sure the center ones are set- they usually take 1-2 minutes longer than the ones on the edges.
- Adding a pan with water in the oven to create steam while they bake greatly enhances their consistency!
How to Serve Egg Bites
Serve egg bites with fresh fruit or a fruit salad, breakfast potatoes, vegan bacon, or just on their own. They make a great breakfast on-the- go!
How to Store Homemade Egg Bites
Store leftover egg bites for up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Egg bites can be reheated in a microwave for roughly 60 seconds or warmed in a 350F toaster oven.
Can egg bites be frozen?
Yes, egg bites can be frozen. Separate layers with parchment paper and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the morning using the microwave or toaster oven.
FAQs
Yes! You can pour the egg mixture into a square baking pan if you prefer. The bake time may vary, so just be sure to check the center for doneness.
This is our own copycat Starbucks egg bites recipe where we use a pan of water. in the oven to create the steam that results in the silky, custardy texture. Check out the notes for how to do this!
Because of the eggs, this recipe is high in protein, and is also a good source of B12 and choline. Plus, when you add colorful veggies and herbs you can pack in some extra vitamins and antioxidants!
This is entirely up to you! Though we typically eat 2 at a time. You can serve the bites with toast, avocado, or have a smoothie on the side!
Yes, Egg bites can be made in your instant pot. You’ll need silicone egg bite molds that fit your model. Add 1 ½ cups water to the instant pot. Fill the molds to 3/4 full. Cover the molds with parchment or foil. Place on the rack and gently lift and lower into the instant pot (you can stack two molds). Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. Naturally, release.
Enjoy the Egg Bites. Take a look at my friend, Jenn’s blog and have a beautiful weekend. ❤️
xoxo
More egg recipes you may like
EASY Egg bites | Video Tutorial
Egg Bite Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12
- Category: breakfast, brunch
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These quick & easy egg bites are the perfect make-ahead breakfast. Make them in 35 minutes, and store them in the fridge for the busy work week, or freeze and reheat. Keto and Vegetarian. (Adapted from Once Upon a Chef.)
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk, full-fat cottage cheese (full fat 4%) See note!
- 1 1/4 cup shredded cheese- gruyere, cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack, etc
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 roasted bell pepper, sliced or diced (from a jar, or sub-canned green chilies, drained)
- 1/4– 1/2 cup fresh basil, ribbons (or sub cilantro or dill)
- optional: 6-12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- Optional: 3 tablespoons parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F. Place a pan of water 1/4 inch deep, on the lower rack to create steam. (see notes)
- Grease a standard, non-stick muffin tin with olive oil. If not using non-stick, use muffin liners.
- Place the eggs, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until silky smooth.
- Pour and divide the batter into the greased muffin tins-to about 3/4 full.
- Add the roasted pepper and basil to the top, stirring some down a bit. Top with a cherry tomato and sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese.
- Place the egg bites on the middle rack (over the pan with water) and bake until the egg bites are set and golden, 20-30 minutes. (Our were ready at 24 minutes.)Be doubly sure the center ones are set– they usually take 1-2 minutes longer than the ones on the edges.
- Let cool 5- 10 minutes; loosen the edges with a knife, and carefully scoop them out with a spoon.
- These will keep up to 4 days in the fridge or can be frozen and reheated.
Notes
Cottage Cheese: Using low-fat cottage cheese has too much moisture, and will prevent them from setting up properly.
Steam: Adding the pan of water to the preheating oven will make steam, which gives them a silky, custardy texture.
Other variations: smoked salmon & dill, sundried tomato & olive, bacon crumbles & cheddar, canned green chilies + cilantro and pepper jack.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 egg bite
- Calories: 122
- Sugar: 1.4 g
- Sodium: 278.2 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.9 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 10.3 g
- Cholesterol: 112.6 mg
Not sure what I did wrong. Followed the recipe, made two batches, at 30 minutes the muffins were still runny and the water had evaporated off. Took much much longer to cook.
Hi Gem- interesting! What did you bake these in? A metal muffin tin pan? I wonder if your oven temperature could be off? Have you ever tested it?
These are amazing, thank you. The trick of steaming them really does give them a better texture.
The description in the beginning of the post mentions spinach, but there is no spinach in the ingredient list – should thenspinach be cooked beforehand, or put in raw?
So glad you had success! Spinach is best cooked before adding, it can make it watery when added raw.
These were lovely and easy to make. I made mine with cheddar, but might experiment with Asiago and other veggie combos.
Great to hear Barbara!